I’m currently a junior at Servite High School. Twelve years of Catholic education has helped me become closer to God and a better Catholic.
My faith journey began in kindergarten at St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Costa Mesa. Thiếu Nhi Thánh Thể, a Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth movement within the Catholic Church, guided me on this journey beginning at the young age of 6.
At St. John the Baptist Catholic School, we learned to be great faith-filled leaders and nurture our gifts and talents and I improved my intellect and faith during my 10 years there. The teachers were very kind and encouraging to nurture and foster my relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist. Mass and the scriptures were focal points of the school.
It led me closer to understanding Jesus and the church He made for us.
Now, Servite High School has helped me foster my faith in God. Servite shapes me into a faith-filled and respectful man with the wisdom to be successful.
Both schools have helped me to become a better leader with the knowledge, character and understanding for success in life. My faith became more substantial because the education centered on Faith and Gospel values helped me walk like Christ.
As a Catholic today, my love for God is powerful, and I am kind to others and help them in any way I can. I am part of Servite’s Campus Ministry, and I am the president of Club Vocati, which helps students with their vocation journey. At my parish, I altar serve at Mass every day of the week. As a Catholic, my faith grows deeper each day.
Today, my schooling also includes Marriage and Family Morals and Apologetics at St. Michael’s Abbey Church in Silverado. There are many opportunities that Servite Campus Ministry help me encounter Christ through daily prayer, acts of service and spiritual development. I experience Christ each day by serving the 7:45 a.m. Mass in the Servite chapel.
Additionally, I became an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion during my first year for all school Masses. During my sophomore year, Campus Ministry allowed me to participate in the Prayer Warriors, which is a group of juniors and seniors who say prayers during the morning, afternoon and evening on the intercom. These prayers are for the Servite students, teachers and staff to listen to and pray along. As a junior, I continue to be an Extraordinary Minister at Mass and a prayer warrior.
These opportunities help me get to know my brothers more and help them grow in their faith by inspiring them to do the same opportunities, such as saying the readings or altar serving. I hope to continue my faith journey by attending a Kairos retreat to strengthen my relationship with God and spend time with my Servite brothers to improve their faith. Kairos means “God’s time” and is a three-day retreat that strengthens the Servite student’s loving relationship with God.
At Servite, we have a saying, “Be Christ, See Christ.” I strive to live this motto in my daily life and hope to someday serve God by being a priest.